Advocacy

The Chamber is your voice in ensuring the continued growth and vitality of our local economy.

Key Issues

Transportation
Traffic congestion adversely affects the businesses and residents of Santa Monica and is getting worse each year. The Chamber has supported Phase II of the Exposition Light Rail Line from Culver City to Santa Monica, building the “Subway to the Sea,” and working regionally to find alternative solutions.

Workforce Housing
Nearly 80 percent of Santa Monica’s workforce lives outside the city. We need additional, affordable housing options for our commuting workforce, especially for first responders, teachers, nurses, and non-profit workers.

General Plan Update
The Chamber is advocating for the increased presence of economic analysis data in the City’s General Plan Update process and for the City to take a fresh look at the changing Industrial Corridor, creating an updated set of land use policies that includes workforce and transit oriented housing.

Homelessness
There are more than 700 homeless living in Santa Monica and at least 10 percent of these are veterans. We support increased funding to provide regional solutions, especially housing connected to intensive services for homeless veterans. Specifically, locating supportive housing on the West Los Angeles VA campus would provide a solution for 100-300 veterans.

Green Business Incentives
We support legislation that would provide incentives for businesses and developers to make their operations, especially new construction, energy and resource efficient.

Health Care
We support healthcare reform in which all stakeholders, including government, providers, health care organizations, insurers, health plans, employees, individuals, and employers contribute their fair share of the financing needed to provide coverage for all Californians. We believe that no solution should place an unfair burden on one group and oppose the creation of a single-payer, government-run, universal healthcare system.

California Incline
We support the city’s proposal to reconstruct the structurally deficient California Incline to meet current seismic standards and will work together to minimize the project’s impact on our community. Its lengthy 10-month construction calendar is a concern, especially with other large-impact, downtown construction projects on the horizon.

Pier Restoration
The Chamber supports alternatives for the upcoming Santa Monica Pier Ramp Restoration Project, including a parallel vehicular ramp and south bridge sidewalk to improve both pedestrian and vehicle safety and access to the pier. Limiting vehicle and delivery access would adversely impact the businesses on the pier and deter special events and filming use.

Smoking
The Council recently recommended amending the anti-smoking ordinance to make business owners who knowingly allow smoking in outdoor dining areas liable. The Chamber has successfully guaranteed that this change will be supported by an ongoing, multi-faceted marketing campaign that includes positive, no-smoking messages in a variety of languages and training for the employees now expected to enforce the law.

State of the City 2009
Hundreds of guests, including local business and city leaders, gathered at the Eli and Edythe Broad Stage for the annual presentation of the Chamber’s State of the City. Mayor Ken Genser and City Manager P. Lamont Ewell addressed the City’s current economic climate and plans for infrastructure development, while noted economist Chris Thornberg provided sharp insights on the economy, as well as an economic forecast for the City of Santa Monica.

Advocacy Trips
The Santa Monica Chamber continues to join business leaders from across Southern California in its annual Access D.C. legislative advocacy trips. In March, Mayor Ken Genser, Mayor Pro Tempore Pam O’Connor, and Councilman Richard Bloom, Former Chamber Chairman John Bohn, and Chamber President & CEO Laurel Rosen descended on the nation’s capital to advocate on a variety of issues important to California’s businesses, including transportation, housing, and water infrastructure. Chamber members and staff also make regular trips to visit with state legislators in Sacramento.

Los Angeles County Business Federation
The Santa Monica Chamber joined 43 other business organizations from across Los Angeles County to launch the Los Angeles Business Federation, representing more than 70,000 businesses and 1 million employees. The group announced three top advocacy priorities: reducing traffic congestion, curbing gang violence, and supporting quality local schools. Traffic congestion consistently ranks as one of the top issues affecting Santa Monica businesses.

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Staff Contact:
Brian Chase
Director of Government Affairs
govaffairs@smchamber.com